Adam
Hi folks,
Just wishing to pick the brains of any members who have taken their Indonesian partners/friends/rellies etc. overseas (specifically to Australia) and what travel / health Insurance company or brokers they may have used. I have a feeling that Ani and I are currently getting 'stung' by my health insurance company and have considered taking out a policy in Indonesia rather than Australia when we come back to Bali in a couple of weeks. Any suggestions???
Thanks
Adam
Adam
Thanks Roy :wink: :)
Jimbo
Cannot speak for Australia Adam but in the UK it costs about 50 pounds sterling a month for Maria and a 100 for me. Not sure if the Balinese insurance Roy stated is of any use in either country although it certainly would be for Bali.
FreoGirl
Adam, does Ani have her PR yet? Or are you having to cover health insurance for visa requirements? Sorry, I can't remember if you are both living in Australia or still waiting for the day...
Adam
Hi Jimbo and Freogirl and thanks for the replies.
Yes Freogirl, Ani is here now on a Prospective marriage visa and is insured with HBF, but because its only a temporary visa she cannot be tied in with my health insurance, hence it's ridiculously expensive. Similarly down the track she won't beeligible down the track when her visa status changes so I'm more interested in looking for an 'expatriate' sort of policy to enable her to start chewing into waiting periods for the hopeful pitter patter of tiny feet down the track, if you get my drift :wink:
From what I've been able to dig out from the net so far, it could be about 60% cheaper to head down this path.
Ta
Adz
Roy
If Ani used her family’s address here in Indonesia as her policy address, then no problem. The Medical insurance I am speaking of only restricts coverage to a certain time limit in the US only. Everywhere else, there is no restriction. It’s a global policy and with global coverage. Adam could also be covered under this policy.
Moreover, it is assumed by the underwriters of these policies that the likelihood is that medical care will not necessarily be provided in Indonesia.
Roy
In other words Freo, the insurance is not just for medical evacuation, rather the insurance is a comprehensive health care insurance policy.
Roy
And a quick tip...to keep the premiums at the lowest possible cost, take a high deductible assuming that you can always come up with say a thousand or so US dollars. The coverage would then be 100% coverage after the first $1,000.00 of medical bills. One a family policy the deductible is per person, so one should keep that in mind as well.
Roy
That's an interesting scheme! Many thanks for taking the time to describe all the details. Cheers!
FreoGirl
[quote=Roy]That's an interesting scheme! Many thanks for taking the time to describe all the details. Cheers![/quote]
Surely a boring topic, but obviously something for Adam to take into account if he and Ani are planning on spending significant amounts of time living in Australia.
Roy
Yeh, I hear ya Adam, loud and clear! By all accounts, both personal and as spoken to me by others, check out Bali Medical Insurance...Sue Speak being the boss.
Her contact information had been posted here many, many times. So, I’m sure you can find her with ease.
Not to brag, but in another life, and as once being an actuarial underwriter for the largest insurance company in the world...that being the Prudential, (the rock), I will, and for many years, have, personally vouched for Sue Speak, who as an agent represents some of the finest insurance companies.
My personal recommendation aside, I can also tell you that the majority of long term expats in Bali engage her expertise and knowledge when it comes to insurance matters.
Maybe it’s worth repeating a few of my own personal recommendations, forged over ten years of consistent living and business on Bali:
Money changing: PT Central Kuta
Insurance: Bali Medical Insurance, Sue Speak
Travel and events: Jack Daniels, Bali Discovery
Visa issues: PT Bali Ide
Sometimes I’d like to think that when someone who has been here 24/7 for as long as I have makes a recommendation, then maybe it will be taken seriously. But if not, that’s OK too...as I'll keep trying. Cheers!
toucan
Hi Adam
You might give HIF a call, I found them to be the best value for private insurance. One other point, when you lodge the Spouse Visa application Ani will then be eligible for a Medicare card. It is from when you lodge the application, you don't have to wait for it to be approved. She will be given a letter which you take to Medicare, along with passport and they will arrange a temporary Medicare card for her.
Sue
Hi adam,
Sue here from Bali Medical Insurance Brokers, I've just joined this site. I understand your predicament, not sure if I'm allowed to put my e-mail address here but let me know if you would like me to try and help you.
Thanks Roy for the plug, you've now been officially adopted as our company mascot :lol:
Sue
Roy
Hey Sue, it’s about time you got around to joining the forum! :P If you have the time to check the archives some day, do a search on Bali Medical Insurance or your name. You will be surprised just how many “plugs” you’ve earned here over the years.
We hope to hear from you more often. Cheers!
Bert Vierstra
Welcome Sue..
As people know, and as you can read, I have no problems with people with a business promoting a bit of that business, in a non-intrusive way. Hell, some I even help.
But this is for active members only, people who come here to talk, about Bali.
up2you
Roy
[quote]Not sure if the Balinese insurance Roy stated is of any use in either country although it certainly would be for Bali.[/quote]
Ahhh, Jimbo, it's not Balinese insurance :roll: . The name of the brokerage company is Bali Medical Insurance and most of the coverage is underwritten by William Russell, which is a very highly regarded insurance company in Great Britain. The coverage is world wide, except that coverage in the US only applies for two week visits...which is understandable given the extraordinarily high cost of medical care there.
The idea with this insurance Jimbo is NOT to be treated here in Bali for anything serious, thus emergency medical evacuation, (air ambulance) is a key feature of these policies.
I cover myself and my family (five of us) for a little over $1,300.00 a year.
FreoGirl
I think the point is though Roy is that Ani is effectively living in Australia - so it's not really a policy that is designed for someone living in SE Asia and needing to be repatriated out to say Singapore in case of serious illness - which is along the lines of what you have. It is every day health cover here in Australia, which has it's own challenges, and a travel insurance policy or one as I've just described would not necessarily be appropriate for a number of reasons that would be boring to go into.
But that aside, I'm glad you reminded my about Sue Speak as I was about to do a search for that info for myself - getting closer to the date when we will relocate back to Indonesia - so thanks.
Adam I will pm you with some info I've gleaned along the way from Damsiah organising his insurance in Australia.
Cheers
Freo
FreoGirl
It's all good to know Roy, and certainly worth weighing up. However us Australians also have to consider the Medicare levy surcharge - in which the Australian Taxation Office takes a further 1% of our gross (before tax) income as a penatly for not having private hospital cover with an approved insurer. The insurer must be registered with the Australian Private Health Insurance Administration Council (PHIAC) to be eligible. There is a list of about 40 of them, non are international insurers.
It's the gotcha with using foreign or alternative health covers for us. This only applies for people who's income is over 50K AUD per annum (the average wage being $55800 for males according to the ABS) - so low income workers are exempted - or 100K for a couple. Most Australians are subject to the surcharge rules. If you are a couple you BOTH have to be insured, otherwise you BOTH pay the surcharge - even if one of you are with a complying fund.
We also have the Lifetime Health Cover rules - which is if you DONT have private hospital cover continuously from the age of 30 onward (regardless of your income) and you later want to join, you get slugged an extra 2% of the premium for every year you are over 30 (so if you are 40 years old you pay an extra 20%)
All this is on top of the 1.5% we pay on our BEFORE tax income for Medicare.
And before anyone points out that free health cover is great - our 'free' health cover does not cover any extras, which can extend to anethatists if you need an operation, or dentists. And the waiting lists are extensive. Many years ago when I was a poor student I needed an operation and went on a waiting list. I was told it would be at least 10 YEARS before I would have any chance. Luckily 18 months later an election was looming and they made an effort to reduce waiting lists and I got my op. But it's a typical example. We have cancer patients on 2 year waiting lists here.
Well I said I wouldn't bore you with the details, but ...
Adam
Hi!!!
Thanks everyone for your help, still chewing over the details for now, I will let you know the final outcome down the track, for archives sake if nothing else :D .
Cheers
Adz
Jimbo
Sue See PM I have sent you.
